Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran & Kennial Laia, Aug 22, 2014
Jakarta. If Joko Widodo’s supporters thought that Thursday’s Constitutional Court ruling had removed the final obstacle standing between their man and the State Palace — they had underestimated the ability of Indonesian law to throw in one last Kafkaesque twist.
 |
| Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo demonstrates his penalty-taking technique in Pluit, North Jakarta on Aug. 17. (Antara Photo/Wahyu Putro) |
Jakarta. If Joko Widodo’s supporters thought that Thursday’s Constitutional Court ruling had removed the final obstacle standing between their man and the State Palace — they had underestimated the ability of Indonesian law to throw in one last Kafkaesque twist.
Home
Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi urged Joko on Friday to hand in his resignation
as Jakarta Governor to the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) at the earliest
possible opportunity.
“He should
step down, because he should not hold two state official posts. A governor is a
state official, so is a president,” Gamawan said, as quoted by the state-run
Antara news agency. “His resignation has to be approved by the Jakarta
Legislative Council.”
But the
DPRD does not have to accept Joko’s resignation, which could mean Joko is
unable to take his seat in the State Palace in October.
There is a
precedent.
When Fauzi
Bowo served as Jakarta governor, his deputy, Prijanto, handed in a letter of
resignation in March, 2012, but it was not ratified by the DPRD. Prijanto was
forced to continue as deputy governor until Joko won the next election.
Gamawan
said Joko required a minimum of 54 councilors voting in favor of his
resignation.
“I’ve
counted it, Joko’s coalition at the Jakarta DPRD consists of only 50 seats,”
Gamawan said. “He needs at least 54 councilors to approve his resignation. I
hope there will be no rejection.”
Joko’s
coalition at the DPRD consists of, in fact, only 49 seats — this does not
include the Democratic Party, which has 10 seats. The Merah Putih coalition led
by Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party controls 47 seats.
Joko said
on Friday that he would file his resignation after the new DPRD members were
inaugurated on Monday.
“There’s
still the inauguration of DPRD members, then the selection process of the DPRD
speaker. Let’s wait until the entire process is done,” Joko said, as quoted by
Antara on Friday.
Politician
Poempida Hidayatulloh, a fired Golkar Party legislator and close aide of
vice-president-elect Jusuf Kalla, said that Joko had no option but to reach out
to other parties.
“Whether he
likes it or not, he should make room to ask other parties to join him,”
Poempida said. “There should be a political compromise to reach a deal.”
Refly
Harun, a constitutional law expert, criticized Gamawan for his comments and
said the potential legal quagmire had to be avoided.
“Even though
the DPRD has the authority to reject the resignation, they is no rationality
behind it,” he said. “[Joko] has been elected president, I do not think it is
logical to use the procedure as a tool for political bargaining. Resignation is
the right of a state official.”
“People
might think that Joko’s victory could be annulled,” Refly said. “It’s improper
for the minister to say that.”
Refly said
a DPRD rejection of Joko’s resignation could lead to a power vacuum.
“It’s not
only about the regulation and the law, but the ethics in government,” he said.
“People should comply with the regulations, but not use the regulations to
hamper the greater good.”
Related Article:
No comments:
Post a Comment